History has been used by politicians, special interest groups and others for propaganda throughout the ages. History is the most misunderstood subject and is used to manipulate people into war, harbor prejudices and continue practices that are not good for society.

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Monday, December 20, 2010

Forgive Me Father...For I have Sinned.

McCourt may have kissed this stone one to many times.

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt isn't the type of book you read at Christmas. In this haunting memoir, McCourt relives his childhood in a Limericak slum where his siblings die from disease, his father drinks away all of the family's money and insists that each child swear he will die for Ireland. Meanwhile, Frank's mother is chronically pregnant, depressed and unable to care for her young children. As early as age three, McCourt must watch his younger brother Malachy.

Life in Ireland has never been easy and during the depression life was even harder. While many who knew McCourt during his childhood, think Angela's Ashes is full of Blarney (lies), the book has the best confession I've ever read. Frank has just received his first communion and his ecstatic grandmother wants to make him breakfast. Frank, however, wants nothing to do with this and wants to join his friends at the "Collection." What follows is hysterical and it doesn't matter if McCourt is full of it. As long as the story is good, I'll take his blarney Thank you Simon and Schuster for the except. Laugh and enjoy!

The food churned in my stomach. I gagged. I ran to her backyard and threw it all up. Out she came.
Look at what he did. Thrun up his First Communion breakfast. Thrun up the body and blood of Jesus. I have God in me backyard. What am I goin' to do? I'll take him to the Jesuits for they know the sins of the Pope himself.
She dragged me through the streets of Limerick. She told the neighbors and passing strangers about God in her backyard. She pushed me into the confession box.
In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost. Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's a day since my last confession.
A day? And what sins have you committed in a day, my child?
I overslept. I nearly missed my First Communion. My grandmother said I have standing up, North of Ireland, Presbyterian hair. I threw up my First Communion breakfast. Now Grandma says she has God in her backyard and what should she do.
The priest is like the First Confession priest. He has the heavy breathing and the choking sounds.
Ah...ah...tell your grandmother to wash God away with a little water and for your penance say one Hail Mary and one Our Father. Say a prayer for me and God bless you, my child.
Grandma and Mam were waiting close to the confession box. Grandma said, Were you telling jokes to that priest in the confession box? If 'tis a thing I ever find out you were telling jokes to Jesuits I'll tear the bloody kidneys outa you. Now what did he say about God in my backyard?
He said wash Him away with a little water, Grandma.
Holy water or ordinary water?
He didn't say, Grandma.
Well, go back and ask him.
But, Grandma...
She pushed me back into the confessional.
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned, it's a minute since my last confession.
A minute! Are you the boy that was just here?
I am, Father.
What is it now?
My grandma says, Holy water or ordinary water?
Ordinary water, and tell your grandmother not to be bothering me again.
I told her, Ordinary water, Grandma, and he said don't be bothering him again.
Don't be bothering him again. That bloody ignorant bogtrotter

1 comment:

Hi,I tried to read this book when it first came out and couldn't get past the first chapter, it was so depressing! So much for that rule for writers that you need to hook your audience with your first 50 pages. (I'm a historical novelist, working on my first novel) Like you, I never met a book I didn't like. Except this one. Frankly, I don't know how he got away with that (friend/relative in the publishing business, maybe?) Anyway, I went to see the movie and this scene was the funniest thing ever! I just couldn't stop laughing. My husband wasn't brought up Catholic, so he didn't get it, but boy did I! Did it ever remind me of how sitting in that confessional, was just like sitting in a dark closet, I told him, and thinking that you were hearing the voice of God, because you couldn't see anything. At the age of six, this was the epitome of being terrified. I loved the look on the boy's face! Yes, later I managed to finish the book, and I enjoyed the other funny episodes too. Frank of course, went on to write two more books. His madcap adventures as a teacher were funny too. You could never get away with that stuff these days, those were the good old days! (Yes, I'm also a teacher)Great blog, I love your sense of humor. I've got to start my own soon.Carol T.